


Second Chances

by vsnow



Series: Grindeldore One-Shots [14]
Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Forgiveness, Gellert is a mess, Hopeful Ending, M/M, Major Character Death because it is set in the afterlife, They are technically all dead, twist - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-20
Updated: 2019-05-20
Packaged: 2020-03-08 11:21:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18893602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vsnow/pseuds/vsnow
Summary: Albus Dumbledore parted ways with the boy who lived. His final task in life was complete. Harry had successfully destroyed the horcrux within him and was now free to face his greatest enemy.And the wise mentor was finally able to rest. Not too far off into the light Albus saw three figures walking toward him. His aged eyes strained to see-





	Second Chances

**A/N:** _I went through a very older fanfic “Rewriting Stars” and cringed a lot. It was the first thing I wrote for the pair. Ended up delating it (even though it’s still there in Tumblr space and ff.net). There were two chapters I really liked and so I used they as a base and added a bit to them to make them one-shots._

~*~

Albus Dumbledore parted ways with the boy who lived. His final task in life was complete. Harry had successfully destroyed the horcrux within him and was now free to face his greatest enemy.

And the wise mentor was finally able to rest. Not too far off into the light Albus saw three figures walking toward him. His aged eyes strained to see-

“Mum … Dad?” Albus smiled widely, “And Ariana!” He was a bit hesitant to approach them. Luckily for him, his sister wasted no time before rushing forward. She eagerly wrapped her arms around him.

“Brother” She was giddy with joy, “I’m so glad to see you.”

“You are- Are you alright?” Albus felt tears well in his eyes as he pulled away, cradling her face in his hands, inspecting her with disbelief.

“Of course.” She rested her hands on top of his.

Her grip on them was so strong, so healthy, just as she had been when they were very young.

“I’m so sorry.” He begged her, all the regret he had felt since her passing flooding forward.

But Ariana would not hear it, she hushed him, “It was not your fault.”

Albus could feel himself fall apart, “But-“

“It was not your fault.” She repeated.

Kendra and Persival slowly made their way to their children. They exchanged a look at the joyful reunion, linking their hands together in a show of affection they had never displayed in life.

Albus Dumbledore, the greatest wizard who ever lived, had bared his soul to Harry not moments ago. How fitting that he would meet those he missed most. Family, all there, happy and well.

“Come here, Al, my boy” Persival joined in, putting a comforting arm around his shoulders, “You’ve done marvelously.”

Albus chuckled, “You recognize this old man as your son?”

“What old man?” Kendra asked confused, stroking his hair lovingly, “I will always see my young man.”

Albus looked down at his hands in surprise. How had he not noticed? He reached up to his smooth face.

It all felt so strange, so surreal. Then again…

“We have been waiting for a very long time.” His mother watched as Ariana once again held him close.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” He was once again hushed. “You’ve lived a full life, there is no reason to feel shame in that.” His father spoke once more, “Now is the time to rest. We have this wonderful second chance to all be together again, and always.”

_Together._

A throat cleared.

The Dumbledores stepped aside, though Ariana still clung, looking toward the new visitor.

“I know I haven’t been waiting as long, but…”

Ariana waved her arm, beckoning the other young man forth.

“Gellert?”

And the world melted away for a moment.

“Surprised?” He was smiling. Grindelwald was just as young and beautiful as when they had first met.

“Very.” Albus spoke honestly. With Gellert now here, truly he was reunited with all those he had missed.

“And why is that?” Gellert placed his hands on his hips, “Did you think me too dark for an afterlife?”

Albus hesitated, “No.” Was the only thing he could manage, for it was all too perfect, he was at a loss for words.

Ariana smiled, she had been looking back and both between the two as they spoke. Gently she released her brother.

The separation brought Albus back to the present, “Where are you going?” He asked, noticing that their parents were now nowhere in sight.

“We will have eternity.” Ariana smiled, “But you still have unfinished business.”  Politely, Ariana curtsied, “Gellert.” She addressed with a mock formality before giggling, “Take care of my brother please.”

The boy bowed slightly back at her, “But of course, Fräuline.”

Albus could not believe his eyes.  _How was everyone getting on so well together?!_

It was a utopia.

“Did you miss me?” Gellert finally asked when Ariana had departed into the endless light, “You must have if I am here.”

“Yes.” There was no reason to lie, not that he felt he could in such a place.

“Why did you not write?” Gellert asked abruptly, “You know, it was terribly lonely in prison.”

“That is quite the point. You needed to reflect.” Albus said lawfully, “And besides, what could I say to you at that time?” In truth, he had always been surprised the man had not escaped. Grindelwald must have known the prison like the back of his hand.

“And what now?” Gellert stepped forward, moving ever closer, in an almost teasing manner, “Do you believe I have reflected enough? Have I done my time in your eyes?”

A kiss, the only answer Albus gave.

Gellert chuckled as the other pulled away in a sharp motion, perhaps realizing what he had done, “Should I take that as a ‘yes’ then?”

That wide smile, Gellert’s voice, Albus really hadn’t been able to help himself, “I just…” “He felt lost in time, “I missed you.”

The blond cooed, “As I have missed you.” And he was unabashed as he captured the other’s lips once more.

As they drew each other close, Albus found his mind jump between two competing desires. Gellert’s actions, those countless unforgivable crimes on muggles, they turned over in Albus’s mind.

And though their lips were currently put to different use, they needed to speak.

“I am sorry, my love.” Gellert began, pulling away slightly as though reading the other’s mind, “For everything. I made you doubt my love, my motives. I made you question yourself and your power. I should have stayed with you and not run away. I was young and foolish. We could have stayed in Godric’s Hollow. Can you imagine what life could have been like? Instead of facing your end alone, I could have fought by you side by side. Can you ever forgive me?”

Albus was frozen, a sudden realization hitting him hard at those words. He had let his emotions take a hold of him, blinding him to something that should have been obvious from the start. And Albus would gladly forgive, if only…

Dumbledore closed his eyes. It had been an amazing dream. A wish. A desire that would never come to be, not with this other man, because- “Please take me to Gellert.”

Gellert laughed playfully at him, brushing their noses against one another, “What do you mean?”

“To Gellert.” Albus repeated, “You are not him, not really. You are a Gellert I wanted to see, just the same as my other family who have greeted me here. I want to hear his true words, regardless of how they may make me feel.”

The illusion’s face fell.

“Please. If you can.” Albus pressed.

“Your Gellert, is he really one who deserves a second chance? He does regret, but is regret enough to be forgiven? Is it so simple. Gellert is anything but simple.

The real Ariana was a shackle on your leg, keeping you in place while your youth passed you by. She may have been too frail to say anything then, but she may not forgive you now for having abandoned her.

Your mother and father were taken far too soon. They never truly got to know you or you them. There is a chance they will not live up to your memories.

Do you still wish to meet with them? To take them as they are and take on their truth of you? Is that really how you wish to spend your eternity?”

Albus nodded, “If they will allow me, I am more than eager to see them.”

The Gellert seemed to consider before finally bowing, “As you wish.” He vanished, taking the light with him.

The bright light that had been around Albus turned a muddied gray, making the world fall into a thick fog.

There he found Gellert sitting in the darkness, hugging his knees. He looked worse-for-wear.

Looking up to see Albus did not seem to improve his mood. In fact, it seemed to make it worse, “Of course it would be you.” Gellert shot him a nearly toothless grin, shaking his head at his misfortune, long unkempt strands of white hair moved around his face, “So far you are the worst of the illusions I have had to face.”

Albus’s eyes went wide, this was very different from the Gellert he had left. But he was the real Gellert Grindelwald, of that Albus was sure.

“I have had enough time to contemplate what you might say to me.” Gellert informed, “And just as long to realize I cannot ask for your forgiveness. Say what you need so that you can free yourself of me once more.”  

Albus found he could not say a word, listening only to the pain behind each and every word.

“Speak or should we spend the rest of eternity in silence.” Gellert stumbled to his feet, “Is that still my punishment, silence?” He took shaky steps toward the vision of the man he had once loved, “I have had enough of it, enough of not knowing what is real and what is not.”

They stood facing one another.

“Well then, if that is it, I will speak for you. I am a vile creature, the most skilled at it. I did what was best, what I thought was best at the time, and that makes me all the more terrifying.” His voice seemed to shake with fear, fear of all he did not understand, “I am incapable of telling the difference between anything anymore. Instead of a specter come to punish me, you may be another hallucination.”

“Do you truly regret what you have done?” Albus finally spoke, it was something he had been wondering from the moment they parted that late summer.

“Not all of it.” Gellert admitted, “And I must pay for those choices.”

Albus nodded.

“Most of all I regret what I have done to you. It was unbearable to know you suffered the same fate as I.”

Albus was taken aback.

“Even after all this time, I know well enough to know what you will say.” Gellert gave him a weak smile, “Yes, you had freedom, but you were imprisoned all the same. You kept yourself locked away, even before I ever received my sentence.”

“I was also guilty of crimes.”

Now it was Gellert’s turn to be surprised, “No, you weren’t.” None of the other illusions up until this point had been so gentle with him.

“Of course I am.” Albus reached out his hand, looking to take the other’s.

Gellert attempted to pull away but he only managed to throw himself off balance and he fell to his knees.

Albus fell with him, “You made your choices, but so did I. I have forgiven you long ago. Now it is my turn to ask of you, for all I have done to cause you harm, I am sorry. “He brought the frail old body into an embrace, “There is so much I wish I might have done differently. You could have been of great help to us against Voldemort.” Albus began to list, “I could have owled you, at least once before my death, though you surely already knew.”

None of Gellert’s other specters had asked for his forgiveness, been so kind to him, “You are Albus. You must be.” Gellert confirmed to himself, “I don’t deserve your kindness or pleas for forgiveness. I made my choices and must do my time. Nothing can erase that.” He pulled away, realizing that regardless of if Albus forgave him or not, he could not undo the past.

Albus seemed to light up as their eyes met, his tone brimming with excitement, “It is true what you said, the past is unchangeable. We both know this well.” He began, taking Gellert’s hands into his own, “But it appears as though you have been given a second chance to make a better future.”

And Gellert looked at their hands, both young and interweaving as they had so long ago.

“Care to try a different path this time around?” Albus suggested, “Perhaps one with a little less murder?”

Gellert did not need a moment more to think of how to respond, “What do you have planned?” He asked, watching with amazement as Albus shared with him how he wished to spend eternity as though he had been planning it for decades.

“But first, I want to see everyone else.” Albus finally concluded.

Gellert nodded, “Then that is what we will do.”

“And you?” Albus asked, “What do you wish to do with all this time?”

Gellert felt as though he had had all the time in the world when he was locked away. But this was very different, it was a freedom he had not dared dream could exist.

A second chance to connect with others in ways he had never and discover who he was once more.

With a deep breath, Gellert wondered what to do with that newfound liberation. Finally free from his visions, he did not have a clue what the future held, if there even was something called a future in this space.

“I want to start over.” Gellert finally said, “With all I know, all I can’t erase, and with you.”

Albus stood to his feet, holding out a hand to help the other up, “Than it’s settled then. Let’s start over and discover all this space holds.”

Gellert did not shy away this time, and with a supporting hand he was raised from the ground.

The two young men left that dark place, finally starting on their journey… together.


End file.
